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by Dale Carlon

With all of the planning and preparations that we have done so far to ensure our new trees success we can’t stop once it’s in the ground. The first growing season is critical – things we do now, both right and wrong, have impacts on the tree for decades to come, if indeed it gets the chance to last for decades.

Irrigation

The most common question I get is, “How much water do I apply?”  As always the type of soil you have and the environment the tree is in makes a huge difference. However, for the sake of this discussion let’s assume that the tree was planted in a good planting mix with average exposure (full sun, full wind). After the planting we have built a berm around the tree forming a saucer. There is an inner ring that prevents water from soaking the base of the trunk, so our saucer looks more like a doughnut. For the first growing season the soil should be just kept moist, not soaking wet. A good rule of thumb is that you fill the doughnut up three times a week. If you install drip put three one gallon per hour emitters about one foot out from the trunk set to run for one hour three days a week.

Fertilizing

The metabolism of a newly planted tree is stressed from being dug up at the grower, transported to the nursery, and then sitting in a black pot on asphalt at the nursery waiting for you to buy it. Adding fertilizers at planting speeds up the metabolism and adds stress. When we have used a good planting soil the nutrients are there and no additional fertilizers should be applied. In about three growing seasons you can start fertilizing with a deep root feeder, opening up the soil and injecting a balanced set of nutrients.

Pruning

It is a myth that newly planted trees should be pruned. Again, reducing stress is important. Pruning makes the tree work on healing wounds when it should be making topgrowth and root system. Only prune off any dead or broken branches, wait till the third growing season to start pruning.

Staking

The argument about staking is a complex one that I will describe in detail in Greno #5 as there is a lot to understand. For today however, let’s admit that we live in a high wind area. As I write this the winds are at about 60 miles an hour in Reno. We do need to stake. Set your stakes outside the rootball so they penetrate the native soil. Orient them in a west/east configuration. Use a soft material to connect to the trunk, and take them off after the first season.

For more information check www.communityforestry.org and please friend me on Facebook at Dale Carlon Consulting LLC, you will enjoy my daily tree tips, and I love to answer questions there.